We have had two nights in Bundaberg and a good look around the area.  We've had a visit to the Distillery, checked out the home of the world's finest Ginger Beer and visited the 'Hinkler Hall of Aviation'.   It is now time to leave the east coast and head west! Funny how one only reads or doesn't read, what one wants to at times! I thought the 'BIG Stubby' of Gingerbeer would have been in its home, Bundaberg. But it is not! We went to the 'Big Barrell' to find the 'Big Stubby' and it wasn't there. When I asked I was told "It is further down the coast". So after another look at the book and a 'google' I have found that it is in a suburb of Noosa. Maybe someone will relocate that 'BIG' Aussie Icon in the middle of the night too! Peter's Aussie Icon Book has '15 BIG Icons in Queensland'. The most of any of the States. We have photographed 7. The majority of the other 8 are all reasonably close to Brisbane. Did get the 'BIG Bundy' bottle though.  We have really enjoyed travelling the east coast of Queensland over the last 5 weeks. We actually reached the coast at Cooktown on Tuesday 26th August and we crossed the border into Queensland on the 28th July. So we have actually been in Queensland 9 weeks and it will probably be another week before we cross into NSW. We feel we really have had a good look at Queensland. Just need to come back sometime and visit Hervey Bay and the Sunshine Coast and maybe some of the towns a little west of Brisbane. In 2005 we had a little visit to the Gold Coast.

It's a good day to start our journey west. Our granddaughter Ella Joan will be 8 on the 2nd. My golly where do the years go? I have been thinking about 2006 the year Ella was born. It was Royal Show time and my first Royal Show as SP of CWA of WA. We went back to Geraldton a few days before the show finished, to see our new granddaughter. We have three Batten granddaughters with birthdays this month and a daughter. I don't think we will be home for any of them. Possibly not too long after for a couple. Just have to include a few of my favourite 'Ella Photos'.   20 photos